Structural unit



March 25, 1941, w uReEss s'mucwunn. mm.

Filed Sept. 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 |l| I I l l l llllllll l l I l I I I i I l l l l l l l I I 1| INVENTOR E W 508G256 BY m. m O u March 25, 1941 E. W BUEQGESS 2,235,865

STRUCTURAL UNIT Filed Sept. 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR E W BURGESS.

BY W

ATTO R N EY Patented Mar. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 9, 1939, Serial No. 294,068

2 Claims.

My invention relates generally to steel frame structures adapted for use in the construction of apartment or oflice buildings, factories, or warehouse, or other buildings employ-ed for industrial purposes, and in the construction of bridges, elevated railways, automobile parking decks, bins, farm buildings, airplane hangars, mine shoring, tunnel lining, and various other and diverse structures.

An object of the invention is to provide a structure of this character, which may be prefabricated in structural units or sections of various sizes to simplify and reduce the cost of the field work, which effects very substantial economies in the amount of steel required, and which, while comparatively light in weight, is exceptionally strong, stiff, and rigid when erected.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a prefabricated structural unit or section embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a View in vertical cross section, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective showing a fragment or portion of the prefabricated unit illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and further showing how a mastic floor surfacing may be applied to the preformed metal floor plate of unit.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but viewing the structure from the under side.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating one way of preforming a sheet metal plate to stiffen and strengthen it and adapt it to be combined with the beam in the special way proposed by the present invention.

Figure 6 is a view in vertical cross section taken on the line 6-5 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale in vertical cross section taken in the plane of the line 6-5 of Fig. l to illustrate the manner in which the marginal flanges 15 and I6 of the plates H and 12 are combined with the web of the beam 2|.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly Figures 5 and 6, the numeral l0 designates a beam or inverted T section, and the numeral I I designates a preformed plate of sheet steel. The beam ID has a web 9 and a tension flange B integral with the lower edge portion of its web 9.

The plate H is stamped or rolled from a flat sheet of steel so as to form in the plate alternate oppositely directed channel-like rib formations l2 and It. It is essential that these formations,

which. serve to stiffen, reinforce, and strengthen the plate ll, extend longitudinally of the plate, or in a direction to be in parallelism with the longitudinal axis or web of the beam Ill when the plate is assembled with the beam.

The particular cross section of the preformed plate, as shown in the drawings, is an advantageous one, in that it may be conveniently produced, and is highly effective in use. Novel characteristics of the cross section shown in the drawings result from the formation of the reinforcing and stiifening ribs by the operation of stamping, rolling, or pressing in the plate parallel channels having fiat body portions and sloping side flanges. Obviously, however, the particular configuration or cross section, formed in the plate to provide the stiffening and reinforcing rib formations, may be varied. For example, instead of having the channels which provide the rib structure formed with sloping side channels, they may be so constituted as to have their side flanges at right-angles to their body portions.

And again, the rib formations may be produced by suitable corrugations. Usually, it is desirable to constitute the rib formations by displacing adjacent portions of the sheet metal plate alternately in opposite directions from the mean plane of the plate. The metal constituting the plate is sufdciently resilient to provide for this shaping, and it is sufficiently stiff and strong to retain its shape after the rolling, stamping, or pressing operations.

Each plate II is provided with the marginal flanges I5 and 16, which preferably are vertical. In the assembly the flange i5 is engaged flush up against one side face of the web it of the beam l0 adjacent to or at the top edge of the beam. The contacting or engaging portions of the flange l5 and the web 9 of the beam are suitably welded together. Usually spot welds are sufficient, although a continuous weld may be made if desired, but ordinarily this is not required. In any event, one edge of the plate 1 i is rigidly and permanently fastened to the upper edge of the web of the beam, with the result that in the structural frame, in which the beam HI and plate H are embodied, the preformed plate ll acts under compression, and as the compression flange of the beam l l), as well as a part at least of the floor or supporting surface which the plate ll provides.

In many instances, one beam Ill and one plate H, which are fabricated and welded together at the factory or fabricating place, constitute the prefabricated unit or section embodying the pre ent invention. In any event, a beam and a preformed plate, combined and assembled in this special] way, constitute the fundamental unit of applicant's prefabricated structure.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, and 6, the beam ii] may have its ends engaged with I-beams or girders I1 and [8, which in the structural frame are suitably supported, usually on columns (not shown). Other beams 20 and 2|, similar or identical with the beam I0, are similarly related and welded to the girders I! and I8, and have preformed plates, designated as at 22, 23, and 24, combined therewith, the plates Z3 and 24 being identical in construction of the plate H. As shown in Figure 6, the plat 22 has flanges l5 and 16 identical with the corresponding flanges of the plate I I, and the flange I6 is engaged with the top edge of one face of the web of the beam 2| and is Welded thereto. The flange l5 of the plate 2! is engaged with and welded to flange I 6 of the plate H. In a similar manner, flanges l5 and 16 of the plates 23 and 24 are engaged with and welded to the top edge portions of the webs of the beams 20 and M, and to each other;

A structure of this character may be further strengthened and stiffened by the provision, between the beams I0 and 2-! and the beams 20 and 21!, of a suitable number of sub-beams 25, which consist of strips of metal placed on edge or vertically disposed and engaged at their ends with and welded to the main beams which they span. They underlie and directly engage the undersides of the preformed plates. The purpose of these sub-beams is to maintain the plates .I'I 23, and 24 against any substantial deflection under the infiuence of concentrated loads, and especially where there is an appreciable span between the beams with which they are framed.

By prefabricating larg sized units in the manner illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 6, the work in the field is simplified, and may be performed at less cost. This same advantage is also realized in some measure, irrespective of Whether the prefabricated unit consists, first, simply of a beam with a preformed plate welded thereto, or, secondly, of two beams with two preformed plates welded thereto and to each other, and with the underlying sub-beams framed in place, or, third, a large sized unit of the type illustrated in Figures l, 2, and 6. The erection of the structure is simplified and speeded up for the reason that the same crew may erect the frame, floors, and roof. The particular manner or extent to which the units are prefabricated is, as indicated, flexible, and in addition to the possibilities previously specified, in some instances it may be desirable to prefabricate one beam corresponding to the beam Ill, two preformed plates corresponding to plates 8 l and 2.2, and a set of sub-beams 25. Such units will of course be assembled with another beam corresponding to the beam 2| and with girders at the point of erection.

The preformed plates not only function as the compression flange of the beam with which they are combined, and as part of a floor, but they may also be so utilized as to function as such a flange and as part of a roof.

By developing this capacity for dual functioning in the preformed plate, the dead weight added to the frame is greatly reduced. Obviously, where the preformed plate functions as the compression flange of the beam, it is practical and desirable to use less metal in the web of a beam since the strength is supplied by the preformed plate, along with its functioning as a supporting surface.

The structure has other advantages, in that weather-proofing insulation, fire resistant material, and surfacing material can be readily applied thereto. For example, in Figure 3 a surfacing of mastic is shown applied to the upper sides of the plates I l, 22, and 23. Of course, any floor surfacing or roof surfacing may be applied in lieu of the mastic material. Another advantage resides in the fact that the total floor depth is usually less in this construction than in other constructions, thus reducing the height of the building to the same clear story height. Finally, the salvage value is high since welds can be blown out by a skilled operator, and practically all the steel salvaged in its original fabricated form.

While theoretically, and in some actual constructions, one preformed plate may be combined with a beam to achieve the functions and realize the advantages above described, the usual and typical embodiment of the invention involves the use of two plates with each beam, one on each side of the beam, and with a part of each plate functioning as a. compression flange.

While I have shown and described one construction in which the invention may be advantageously embodied, it is to be understood that the construction shown has been selected merely for the purpose of illustration or example, and that various changes in the size, shape, and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoin-ed claims.

I claim:

1. A composite beam and deck section comprising a main beam web having an unflanged upper edge, a sheet metal plate having alternately, oppositely directed, longitudinally extending parallel channel formations extending from one end of the plate to the other end thereof, adjacent channel formations having a common side wall, one side edge of the plate being engaged with and welded to the upper edge of the beam web with the channel formations of the plate disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the beam web, and :a plurality of sub-beams comprising vertical webs disposed at right angles to the main beam web, each sub-beam having one end engaged with and welded to the main beam web, the upper edges of each sub-beam being engaged with the under side of the plate in sustaining relation thereto.

2. A composite beam and deck section structure comprising parallel main beam webs transversely spaced from each other, a plurality of sub-beams disposed at right angles to the main beams and having the ends of their webs engaged with and welded to the Webs of the main beams, a pair of sheet metal plates supported on the sub-beams and having their outer side edges engaged with the main beam webs and havin their inner side edges engaged with each other, welds uniting the outer side edges of the plates to the upper edges of the main beams, and welds uniting the adjacent side edges of the plates to each other, each of said plates having a plurality of pairs of oppositely directed, parallel, longitudinally extending channel formations extending from one end of each plate to the other, said channel formations being disposed parallel to the longitudinal axes of the main beam webs, the adjacent channel formations of each plate having a side Wall in common.

EDWARD W. BURGESS.

CERTIFICATE CE CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,255,865. March 25, 19h.

EDWARD w. BURGESS.

It is hereby certified that theabove numbered patent was erroneouslyissued toWorden-Allen Company, as assignee of the entire interest therein, whereas said patent should have been issued to the inventor,. Edward w. Burgees, and Worden-Allen Company, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a Corporation of Wisconsin, as assignee of one-half interest only in said invention; as shown by the record of assignments in this office; and that the'said Letters Patent shouldbe read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Office. I

Signed and sealed this Zlpth day of June, A. D. 19141 t.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

